Rio de Janeiro

In his first visit to Brazil in 1952, VitorinoNemésio left his mark on the history of the Azorean people in the soil of Rio and in the heart of Cariocas as he asked for the establishment of a Regional House that would congregate Azoreans and their cultural practices. A group of Azoreans met at the center Transmontano on the 17th of July of 1952 with that purpose in mind. It was there that the idea became a fact. Vitorino’s brilliant patriotic speech about the enchantments of the islands and the sentiment of solidarity that should unite the Azorean people gave birth to the House of Azores.

The statutes show that the twenty-six persons that attended this meeting would become founding members of the House of Azores and VitorinoNemésio its Honorary President.

The photograph shows the founding members of the House of Azores seating at a table, presided by Dr. VitorinoNemésio (at the center). To Vitorino’s right, Mr Mariano Corte-Real Pamplona, Dr. Joaquim de Sousa Cordeiro, commercial attaché of the Portuguese Embassy and Lieutenant Antonio Pinheiro; to his left, Mr Francisco Antonio da Cunha, President of the Transmontano Centre, Mr Manuel da Rocha Soares, the first “Benemérito”(benevolent) member, Mr. Osvaldo Pacheco and, lastly the Azorean poet Martins Casseana (transcribed in the back of the photograph).